Tire-handling machine



D. T. BLACKMON TIRE HANDLING MACHINE Filed July 9, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet Jan. 1*, 1929. 1,697,708

D. T. BLACKMON TIRE HANDLI NG MACHINE Jet/0% Z'Blaclznww. v

- Patented a... 1 1929.

"UNITED STATES nnwnr'r r. BLAOKMO'N, or oonumnm, sourncsnonnu.

TIRE-HANDLING MACHINE.

Application filed m 9,

An object of the invention is the provision of a machine for spreading the beads of pneumatic-tire casings suchas are now commonly in use, for the purpose of inspection 6 of, or treatment of, the inside of such casing, or for the purpose of assembling a tire tube and easing, as well as for other purposes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for supporting and rotating a tire casing for similar purposes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of and means for simultaneously spreading and rotating such tire casing whereby the inspection or treatment orassemblage may be continuous.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for simultaneously spreading and rotating the tire casing. with the D0 elimination of an member or members which might inter ere with or prevent the ready and continuous insertion of a tube within such casing.

Other objects will be apparent from the 2 appended specification.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 1s a side elevation of my improved machine, showing it in position to operateon a tirecasing mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a section along the line 22 of Fig. .1, looking in the direxation of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the device in position to receive a casing.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the left hand end. of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the tire casing in section, taken along the line 5-5 ofFig.1. s

. My improved machine comprises a suitable supporting device, such for example as' a frame having supporting legs 1, 2, 3, 4, which support and are braced by horizontal supporting members 5, 6. Suitable cross braces 7, 8 maybe provided, if desired, to add strength and rigidity to the support. A suporting member 9 is mounted on each memer 5, 6, and each is securely held in position thereon by any suitable means such as a bolt 10, the two supporting means 9 thus being to spaced apart substantially'the same distance as the members 5, 6. Rotatably bolted to each of the arms 9' is a lever arm 11, as. at

. 12, these arms 11 converging together at the front of the machine, that is at theleft end 5 of Fig. 1 or of Fig. 3. The arms-'11 project on both sides oithe pivot 12, and adjacent dation of the lever at 26 is the lever 27, this lever 27 bein 1927. Serial No. zoagi'LRElSSU greater diameter at its center-16 thanadjacent lts ends 17 for the purpose of aiding to spread the tire and present the inner surface thereof for examination'or treatment, and for causing suitable flattening of the casing. A T-shaped bar having a leg 18 is mounted 1n bearings 19 suitably supported on the. frame-work, the round ends 20 of the arms of such T-shaped member being accommo dated in said bearings. An arm 21 is connected to the leg 18 at 22'for slight pivotal movement with respect thereto, and this arm 21 is also connected to the converged outer 'endsof the arms '11, and it'is suitably attached thereto for slight pivotal movement with respect thereto as by a loose bolt- 23. Some movement of the arm 21 angularly with respect to the members 18 and 11 may be necessary due to the relative positioni of the pivot points 12, 20, 22, and 23, and i adjustment of the length of the arm 21 should be necessary such arm may be provided with a series. of spaced holes 24 for the accommopivot bolt-23.

A foot lever 24 is suitably pivoted to the frame-work as at 25, andpivoted to such foot in turn pivoted to the lever 21 at 28. means 29 is provided for retaining the foot lever in lowered position, and this may inmrise teeth 30=under which the foot lever may he inserted and from which it may bereleased by slight sidewise movement, Rods 31, 32 are mounted for longitudinal movement in the respective supports 33, 34 on the frame parts 5, 6, and on the inner ends I thereof the spreading disks 35, 36,- preferablybeveled as shown on Fig. 2, are so mounted that they will rotate on the rods 31, 32Without moving longitudinally thereof. A flex ible connecting means 37, 38 is suitably connected to the outer ends of the-rods 31 32 respectively as at 39, 40, and each such exible connecting means passes around a 'rotating member e1, 42 respectively mounted on supports 43, 44. on the frame-work. These flexibleineans, after passing around such rotating means, converge toward each other and are suitably connected as at 45 to the arm 18' of the T-shaped member previously described.

The operation of the device is as follows: The foot lever 24 being in the upper or inoperative position as shown in Fig. 3, the roller 13 will be in lowered positionand the flexible'm'em'bers 37, 38 will be loose. A tire casing is then placed upon the roller 13 and is leaned toward the front or left hand end of the machine (as shown on the same figure).

The spreading disks 35, 36 being positioned adjacent each other centrally of the machine will then stand over the longitudinal opening along the inner periphery of the tire. The foot lever 24 is then depressed, thus cans in the roller 13 to rise up against the outer si e of the tireas shown on Figs. 1 and 2; and such movement of the foot lever pulls the flexible members 37 38 which in turn cause the spreading disks 35, 36 to separate from each other to the positions shown on Figs. 2 and 5. The movement of the inner edges of the tire opening which is along the inner periphery of the tire, the disks 35, 36, may if necessary beaided by the hand of the operator, or the disks. 35, 36 may originally be placed in such close juxtaposition that they will be between the planes of the walls of the opening, and the be g of movement of separation of these disks ma be timed to begin afterthe edges of the are well within the tire opening by suitable adjustment of the length of the members 37, 38.

On completion of the downward movement of the foot lever 24 the tire casing will be in the position shown on Figs. 1, 2 and 5 and it may find some support, depending on its size, by contacting with the converging ends of the flexible members which may have smooth surfaces at the points of contact.

The roller 13 is then rotated either by means of the crank 14 or the pulley 15, and this causes rotation of the tire casing which in turn causes rotation of the disks 35, 36. As'the casing rotates it is spread continuously and progressively and laid in a somewhat flat position by the disks and roller, and it may then easily be inspected or .treated in any desired manner. Furthermore, a tire tube may essively at this point as the casing rotates 1n very little time, there being no members or parts of the machine passing through the central plane of the casing and throngh and across the casing itself to interfere therewith. Whenthe downward movement of the foot lever 24 is sufiicient to obtain the proper corelation of parts as described, it is moved slightl laterally so asto be held in such p0 sitlon y the retaining means 29; and when it is desired to remove the casing from the device all that is necessary is to move the foot lever 24 away from the retaining means and remove the ioot'therefrom whereby the to encloseeasily be inserted into the casing pro-- device will automatically assume the position speed and with littleefiort by the operator and for inspection purposes the slightest de fects are made easily apparent. Loose cords, stone bruises, rust bruises, blow outs, cuts, nails, tacks, and tack holes become apparent at once even though the tack be hidden within the material of the tire, for such tack Will be caused to project well above the inner surface due to the shape of the roller 13 and the shape into which 1t forces the casing, by its co-action with the disks 35, 36. My improved machine is economic in construction and may be operated easily at great speed, the heaviest workconnected therewith being in moving the casing on and ofl of the machine.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by,Letters Patent of the United States: is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a roller, rotatably mounted substantially parallel disks, means to move said roller towards said disks, means to separate'said disks, and a means-to operate said moving means and said" separating means whereby a tire casing will be gripped and flattened between said roller and said disks. 6 p

2. In a machine of the class described, a single roller, two rotatably mounted I substantially parallel disks, means to move said roller towards said disks, means to separate said disks, and a means to operate said moving means and said separating means whereby a tire casing will be gripped and flattened between said r0ller'and said disks.

3. In a machine of the class described, a roller having a' central bulge, rotatably mounted substantially parallel disks, means to move said roller towards said disks, means to separate saiddisks, and a means to operate roller, rotatably mounted substantially parallel disks, means to move said roller towards said disks, means to separate said disks, a

means to operate said moving means andsaid separating means whereby a tire casing will be gripped and flattened between said roller and said disks, and means for rotating said roller whereby the casing and disks will be rotated and the tire progressively flattened.

6. In a machine the class described, a

- single roller, two rotatably mounted substantially. parallel disks, means to move said roller towards said disks, means toseparate said disks, a means tooperate said moving means and said separating means whereby a tire casingwill be gripped and flattened between said roller and said disks, and means for rotating said roller whereby the casing and disks will be rotated and the tire progressively fia/tmoving means and said separating means whereby a tire cas n will be gripped and flattened between sai roller and said disks, and means for rotating said roller whereby the casing and disks will be rotated and the tire progressively flattened.

8. In a machine of the class described, a single roller having a central bulge, two rotatably mounted substantially parallel disks, means to move said roller towards said disks,

means to separate said disks, a means to operate said moving means and said separating means whereby a tire casin will be gripped and flattened between sai roller and said disks, and means for rotating said roller whereby the casing and disks will be rotated and the tire progressively flattened.

9. A machineof the class described com.- prising a support, a foot lever on said support, arms pivotally mounted on said support,

a connection between one end of said arms'and said foot. lever, a roller rotatably supported bythe other ends of said arms, said roller being symmetrical with respect to its axis and having a central bulge and a non-slip surface, shafts mounted on said support, said shafts-being opposite each other and mounted.

for longitudinal and; rotational movement,

a disk fast on the inner end of each said shaft,

- and a flexible draft means'conne'cted to the ends of said shafts and connected to said foot lever whereby downward movement of said foot lever Wlll cause upward movement of said roller and spreading of said disks. 7

10. A machine of the class described comprisingla support, a foot lever, on said support, arms plvotallymounted on said supand mounted for longitudinal and rotational opened. Y

port, a connection between one end of said arms and said foot lever, aroller rotatably supported by the other ends of said arms, said roller bemg symmetrical with respect to its axis and having a central bulge and a nonslip surface, shafts mounted on said sup.- .port, said shafts being opposite each other movement, a disk fast on the inner end of each said shaft, a flexible draft means connected to the ends of said shafts and connected to said foot lever whereby downward movement of said foot lever will cause upward movement of said roller and spreading of said disks, and means to rotate said roller' whereby said disks and tire casing grasped between said roller, and said disks will e rotated.

p 11. A machine 'for continuously rotating and progressively opening a tire casing, comprising arroller and rotatably mountedsubstantially parallel disks cooperating therea with to grip the casing between them and to open the casing continuously and progressively as it is rotated, no part of said machine passing across the central plane of the casing within the periphery of the casing, whereby a tire tube may be progressively and continuously inserted into the casing at the opened part thereof as the casing is rotated and .12. A machine for continuously rotating and progressively opening a tire casing, com prising a 'roller and rotatably mounted substantially parallel separable disks over said roller and cooperating therewith to grip the casing between them and to open the casing continuously 'and progressivelya's 1t 1s rotated, no part of sa1d machine passing across the central lane of the casing within the periphery 0 the casing, whereby a tire tube may be progressively and continuously 1nserted into the casin at the opened part 4 thereof as the casing 1s rotated and opened.

13. A machine for continuously rotating. and progressively o ening a tire casing, comprising a single rol er having a central bulge and two rotatably mounted substantially parallel separable disks cooperating therewith to grip the casing, between them and to open the casing continuously and progressively as itis rotated, no part of said machine passing across the central plane of the casing within the periphery of the casing, whereby a tire tube may be progressively and continuously inserted into the casing at the o ened part thereof as the casing is rotated an opened.

DEWITT T. BLAOKMON. 

